Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

poem-follows you April 5, 2021

Filed under: poem,Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:27 pm
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I read a book that gutted me

I turned each page immersed

in worlds far away

in sacrifice.

This masterpiece past any piece

of writing I could do.

Now Twitter says,

that author follows you.

My joy is tangled in my grief

that I may be worth

the following!

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NaPoWriMo day 5. Skipping the official prompts today.

 

poem- seen and not heard January 22, 2019

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:41 am
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Murmuring voices

racing around me, vacuum engine growl,

white noise.

Words without meaning.

Sound without sense.

There you are.

Your mouth moves,

but I can not hear you

anymore.

 

poem-hopes and fears February 23, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 8:32 pm
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You know everything

at least you think you do

and constraints of adult expectations

are irritation to you.

So that older guy on social media

successfully calls you

offering freedom and attention

and you leave confidently,

but we fear your bravado

will crash into a predator

and send you cringing home

your security crushed

forever, by the wisdom gained

too late and too painfully.

 

poem-preservation January 2, 2016

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:14 pm
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Distance offered safety

Communication was a precious gift

words in letters to save, tied up in ribbon,

opened and savoured.

Today how do they preserve memories?

 

poem- #deadraccoonto September 9, 2015

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 9:22 pm
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In the Toronto dawn

the sun crept silently up to the

last mortal remains of the pudgy bandit,

laid out on the sidewalk like a sacrifice.

The call went out:

Three-one-one!  Three-one-one! Come!

The City promised swift removal of the corpse.

But–political promises being oft full of air–

the raccoon remains remained throughout the day.

Not content to leave sleeping Procyonidae lie

crowds marked the site of his demise,

memorial to the adorable, nocturnal beast

with flowers, photos, Tweets, and cards,

pseudo-grief growing with the day

while #deadraccoonto began to decay.

Until by the light of the moon (a raccoon’s party hour)

The City van came to gather the cadaver,

but left the flowers.

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This was a social media event in July .  The body of a raccoon was found and reported.  A spontaneous mock-memorial grew up around it.  It was all recorded on Twitter, with even a council member  (Norm Kelly) participating.  I think it makes a fascinating commentary of social media through parody.

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poem-contact October 23, 2014

Filed under: Poetry — Shawn L. Bird @ 4:35 pm
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Communication is so easy

Facebook, Twitter, text, phone

a million ways to message instantly:

No excuses for

your silence.

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(I could also have entitled this, “Call Your Mother!”)  😉

 

poem-good company August 24, 2014

In this time

I can watch a TV show

and share thoughts

impressions

giggles

and sighs

with others watching

simultaneously

all across the country.

Humming Twitter feed

makes for good

company.

Unlike chickens.

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#OutlanderCAN #kiltit  This poem references a famous line from the first really intimate conversation between Jamie and Claire

“When I woke, I was trussed up in the wagon wi’ the chickens, jolting down the road to Fort William.”

“I see, I said quietly,  “I’m sorry.  It must have been terrible for you.”

“Oh, aye.  Chickens are verra poor company, especially on a long journey.”

Diana Gabaldon. Outlander Toronto: Seal Books. p. 90

 

 
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